Biden and Modi celebrate stronger US-India ties and highlight deals.
US and India Forge Stronger Relationship to Counter China
WASHINGTON—The White House welcomed Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi with open arms, signaling a new era in the relationship between the United States and India. President Joe Biden and Modi celebrated their countries’ friendship and power, highlighting deals on defense and commerce aimed at countering China’s global influence.
“Two great nations, two great friends, and two great powers. Cheers,” Biden toasted Modi at a state dinner. In response, Modi praised Biden’s strength, saying, “You are soft spoken, but when it comes to action, you are very strong.”
While India has always valued its independence and is not a formal treaty-bound ally of the United States, Washington sees India as a strategic counterweight to China. Although neither leader directly criticized Beijing, they alluded to the concerns surrounding the Chinese communist regime.
Addressing Concerns in the Indo Pacific
“The dark clouds of coercion and confrontation are casting their shadow in the Indo Pacific,” Modi told Congress. “The stability of the region has become one of the central concerns of our partnership.”
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses a joint meeting of Congress at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on June 22, 2023. (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images)
After a private meeting that lasted over two hours, Biden and Modi issued a joint statement expressing concerns about rising tensions and destabilizing actions in the East and South China Sea. They emphasized the importance of international law and freedom of navigation.
“The challenges and opportunities facing the world in this century require that India and the United States work and lead together, and we are,” Biden declared as he welcomed Modi to the White House.
U.S. President Joe Biden and India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi (L) listen to the national anthems during a welcoming ceremony for Modi in the South Lawn of the White House on June 22, 2023. (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images)
The state dinner, held on the White House South Lawn, was a grand affair attended by several Silicon Valley executives, including Tim Cook from Apple, Anne Wojcicki from 23andMe, Sundar Pichai from Google, and Sam Altman from OpenAI.
The Bidens followed a White House tradition of serving guests from abroad with a fusion of Indian and American cuisine, reflecting the faint echoes of home with a strong American touch.
Modi aims to elevate India’s status as a manufacturing and diplomatic powerhouse on the world stage, while also navigating strained relations with China. His participation in a White House press conference, where he took questions from both American and Indian journalists, marked a departure from his usual political traditions. He dismissed criticism of India’s human rights record.
Washington has expressed frustration over India’s close ties with Russia, particularly as Moscow wages war in Ukraine. While Modi did not directly mention Russia, he acknowledged the pain caused by the conflict in the region, stating, “Since it involves major powers, the outcomes are severe.”
New US–India Deals
The two countries announced…
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